Airborne 12.09.16

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Airborne 12.09.16

Fire Scout Is Reportedly The First NATO Aircraft To Go Down In
The Conflict

A NATO Fire Scout UAS has reportedly gone down in Libya, though
that country's military claimed at first it was an Apache gunship.
NATO says aircraft was engaged in surveillance of pro-Gadhafi
forces.

File Photo

Spokesman Wing Commander Mike Bracken said in a news conference
that "(a)t 0720 GMT, NATO received reports (that) an unmanned,
autonomous helicopter drone, used by NATO forces, lost radar
contact with the command center. This drone helicopter, unmanned,
was performing intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance over
Libya to monitor pro-Gadhafi forces threatening the civilian
population."

The Voice of America reports that Libyan government television
showed video footage of the wreckage, and claimed that it had shot
down an Apache attack helo. Spokesman Bracken did not say whether
enemy fire was involved in the loss of the Fire Scout.

Libya is accusing NATO forces of hitting civilian targets, and
that several children have been killed in airstrikes. NATO says
that while there have been a few isolated civilian casualties, the
allegations are false.